Why use the English translation there is or are, when hay literally means to have? I would rather think of haber means to have in English. Its too confusing to use there is or there are for translating a Spanish verb that actually means to have. Thank you!
Hay literally is to have
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Terry M.Kwiziq community member
Hay literally is to have
This question relates to:Spanish lesson "Using hay = there is / there are in Spanish"
Asked 3 years ago
Clara M. Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Hi Terry,
I think you may have confused your definition of 'hay' with something else.
Hay does in fact mean 'there is' or 'there are'.
Saludos :)
Elias G.Kwiziq community member
Not necessarily, I mean hay does mean there is there are but also to have so guys are are both right
Profe Gonzalez C.Kwiziq community member
Haber means 'there is' / 'there are'. It means 'to have' ONLY in the perfect tenses when it is acting as an auxiliary verb. In those instances the conjugated form of haber is followed by the past participle (another verb ending in -ado/ido). For ex. Hemos estudiado la leccion = we have studied the lesson (Present Perfect) / Hubieramos comprado los pasajes la semana pasada = We should have bought the tickets last week (Past Perfect Subjunctive), etc.
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